Walking doll



Sept. 16, 1924. 1,508,956

v L. M. BUTTERFIELD WALKING DOLL 2, Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 6. 1923 annu ar-o1, L M: fiuilerfzla.

L. M. BUTTERFIELD WALKING DOLL Filed July 5 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elm 02TH 01,

Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

" TTES oUIs /r. BUTTER-FIELD, or n v' vioivn, NEW HAMrsHinn, As's me or. ONE-HALF TO HERMANNGOVE SUMNER, on navi onn. iv'nw naivrrsn nn. I

WALKI G Donn.

Application filed July 5, 1923. serial No. 649,570.-

To all whom it may concern:

" "Be-it known that I, Louis M. BUTTER- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raymond, in the county of Rockingham and State of NewI-Iampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Walking Dolls; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as-will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to an automaton and has for its object to provide a walking doll which is self-supporting and capable of propulsion by a stepping movement approximating that of a person walking.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a walking doll embodying the invention, the dotted lines indicating the outline of the dress,

Figure 2 is a front view of the body portion of the doll showing the spring motor,

Figure 3 is a detail side view showing more particularly the relation of the leg and foot,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the ratchet roll and cooperating detent, and

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the governor.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the body of the doll to which is fitted the head, arms, legs and feet, the head and arms being relatively fixed, but the legs and feet being movable. The body portion 1 of the doll contains a spring motor and a train of gearing, the latter including a governor whereby to control the speed of the motor. The motor spring 2 is mounted upon a winding shaft 3 and one end of the spring is connected to the and'the other end-to the body 1 ina manner well understood. A drivegear 4 is ,loose'on the shaft 3 and-marries a dog s which cooperates with a ratchet wheel 5 fast to the shaft 3. A suitable train of gearing derives'motion from the drive wheel 4 and comprises shafts 6, 7, 8- and Qand cc- -operating gear elements. A gear wheel 10 fast to the shaft 6 is gearedtothe shafts? and 9 and the shaft 7 is ge'aredto the shaft 8. The shaft 9 is provided at opposite ends with cranks 11 which have an opposite or diametric arrangement. The shaft 8 is provided at one end' with a shoe 12 which cooperates with a drum 13 to control the speed of the motor. The stem of the shoe 12 is mounted loosely in the shaft 8 and a helical. spring 1 1 normally holds the shoe clear of the drum. However, when the shaft 8 acquires an abnormal speed, the shoe 12 moves outward by centrifugal action and 00- operates with the drum 13 to reduce the speed of the motor.

Each of the legs comprises two bars 15 and 16 which are disposed in parallel relation and pivoted at their upper ends to the upper portion of the body 1 and which are pivoted at their lower ends to a foot 17. A wing 18 at each side of the body 1 is slotted to receive the leg and hold it in proper position whereby to sustain and support the doll in upright position. The leg member 16 is formed with a slot 18 which receives a crank 11. In the operation of the motor, the legs receive an oscillatory movement, the one being the reverse of the other because of the diametric arrangement of-the crank 11.

The feet 17 are relatively large and heavy to give stability to the doll and each is provided with a pair of rolls 19 and 20, the forward roll 19 being free to revolve in each direction but the rear roll 20 being free to rotate forwardly only and prevented from backward rotation by means of a ratchet wheel 21 and a detent 22. This results in the forward movement of the doll by a stepping action, the rearward movement being prevented by the ratchet mechanism 21 and 22. The doll may be suitably dressed according to the effect to be produced, the outline of the dress being indicated by the dot- I ted lines in Figure 1, said dress covering the body and legs of the figure.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a walking doll embodying a spring motor, and a shaft having oppositely disposed cranks, legs comprising parallel bars pivoted at one end to the body of the doll, one of each pair of bars provided with an elongated slot intermediate their ends to receive said cranks, and feet pivoted to the lower ends of the respective bars.

2. A Walking doll comprising a body, a spring motor carried by the body and including a governor and a shaft having oppositely disposed cranks, a leg at each side of the body and comprising parallel bars pivoted at their upper ends to the body and slotted at an intermediate point to receive one of said cranks, and feet having pivotal connection with the lower ends of the bars, each foot being provided with a front and a rear roll, one of said rolls being prevented from backward rotation by means of a ratchet mechanism.

3. A Walking doll comprising a body having a slotted wing at each side, a spring motor carried by the body and including a governor and oppositely disposed cranks, a leg at each side of the body comprising parallel bars pivoted at their upper ends to the upper portion of the body and passing through the slot on the same side of the body as the leg, a foot pivoted to the lower end of each bar of a leg, front and rear rolls applied to each of the feet, and a ratchet mechanism cooperating with one of the rolls to prevent backward rotation thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS M. BUTTERFIELD. WVitnesses ENocH F. STEVENS, EDNA E. LITTLEFIELD. 

